Up to 6 subjects will be enrolled. Subjects who have already chosen to have a surgical facelift procedure will be enrolled. Subjects will receive selective Ulthera® ultrasound exposures in the pre-auricular regions. Subject will return for a follow-up visit up to 48 hours post-treatment, on the day of their rhytidectomy. Study images will be obtained pretreatment, immediately post-treatment, and at the follow-up visit.

Ulthera treatment will be administered to both pre-auricular regions using a 4 MHz, 4.5mm depth transducer at 1.2 Joules and 30 Watts on the Left side versus 0.9 Joules and 30 Watts on the Right side.

Device: Ulthera Treatment

Focused ultrasound energy delivered below the surface of the skin

Other Name: Ultherapy™

Active Comparator: Subject 2

Ulthera treatment will be administered to both pre-auricular regions using a 7 MHz, 3.0mm depth transducer at 1.05 Joules and 25 Watts on the Left side versus 0.75 Joules and 25 Watts on the Right side.

Device: Ulthera Treatment

Focused ultrasound energy delivered below the surface of the skin

Other Name: Ultherapy™

Active Comparator: Subject 3

Ulthera treatment will be administered to both pre-auricular regions using a 7 MHz, 3.0mm depth transducer at 0.45 Joules and 15 Watts on the Left side versus 0.35 Joules and 14 Watts on the Right side.

Device: Ulthera Treatment

Focused ultrasound energy delivered below the surface of the skin

Other Name: Ultherapy™

Active Comparator: Subject 4

Ulthera treatment will be administered to both pre-auricular regions using a 10 MHz, 1.5mm depth transducer at 0.25 Joules and 5 Watts on the Left side versus 0.18 Joules and 5 Watts on the Right side.

Device: Ulthera Treatment

Focused ultrasound energy delivered below the surface of the skin

Other Name: Ultherapy™

Active Comparator: Subject 5

Ulthera treatment will be administered to both pre-auricular regions using a 4 MHz, 4.5mm depth transducer at 0.9 Joules and 30 Watts on the Left side versus 7 MHz, 4.5mm 0.9 Joules and 25 Watts on the Right side.

Device: Ulthera Treatment

Focused ultrasound energy delivered below the surface of the skin

Other Name: Ultherapy™

Active Comparator: Subject 6

Ulthera treatment will be administered to both pre-auricular regions using a 7 MHz, 3.0mm transducer at 0.35 and 14 Watts, and a 4 MHz, 4.5mm depth transducer at 0.9 Joules and 30 Watts on the Left side versus a 7 MHz, 3.0mm depth and 4.5mm depth transducer at 2.0 Joules and 40 Watts on the Right side.

Device: Ulthera Treatment

Focused ultrasound energy delivered below the surface of the skin

Other Name: Ultherapy™

Detailed Description:

This study is a prospective, single-center clinical trial. Subjects will be enrolled at the investigator's discretion if they meet inclusion/ exclusion criteria and provide written informed consent. Enrolled subjects will be treated with an assigned transducer based on their order of enrollment. At the study follow-up visit, subjects will undergo resection of the treated tissue for histological analysis prior to their planned rhytidectomy procedure.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

30 Years to 65 Years (Adult)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Yes

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Male or female, age 30 to 65 years scheduled for rhytidectomy.

Subject in good health.

Understands and accepts the obligation not to undergo any other procedures in the areas to be treated.

Willingness and ability to comply with protocol requirements, including returning for follow-up visits and abstaining from exclusionary procedures for the duration of the study.

Subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test result and must not be lactating at Visit 1 and be willing and able to use an acceptable method of birth control (e.g., barrier methods used with a spermicidal agent, hormonal methods, IUD, surgical sterilization, abstinence) during the study. Women will not be considered of childbearing potential if one of the following conditions is documented on the medical history: a) Postmenopausal for at least 12 months prior to study; b) Without a uterus and/or both ovaries; or c) A bilateral tubal ligation at least six months prior to study enrollment.

Exclusion Criteria:

Presence of an active systemic or local skin disease that may affect wound healing.

Severe solar elastosis.

Significant scarring in areas to be treated.

Open wounds or lesions in the area to be treated.

Severe or cystic acne on the area to be treated.

Presence of a metal stent or implant in the facial area to be treated.

Inability to understand the protocol or to give informed consent.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01713569